Phsar Leu Thom Thmei Wet Market (Siem Reap)

The Psar Chas Old Market is for tourists and folks in town. Phsar Leu Thom Thmei market is for the locals who live in the outskirt.

Direct translation of Phsar Leu Thom Thmei word to word in reverse means New Large Upper Market. It is definitely larger than the Old Market, and do not visit if you don’t like the mud and smell.

If you know me, wet market is always my No.1 destination in any city that I visit. It is full of actions and a place where you can truly experience the local culture.

The red color food in the plastic bag was red ants. Those big red ants that build nest on mango trees (and the bite really hurts). I have another posting soon to show you other exotic food found in the market (in closer look). Let me start off with normal food items.

Like many developing countries, most of the merchants (at least 70%) in the wet market are women.

Men are normally involving in carrying heavier goods and doing transportation. The content inside these large red sacks were rice husk (米糠), used as ingredient to feed the pigs.

My favourite camera lens for wet market is the 12mm fixed lens (no zoom). It was fun due to the relatively short focal length, I often have to almost ‘on the face’ of the subject. I was almost touching the floor for some of the pictures (so you can see the funny looking expression of the locals starring at me).

I almost can touch the duck on the picture above, and touching the hair of the girl who played hike and seek on the motorbike mirror with me.

The locals were very friendly, especially after I learned a few simple local phrases.

Sometimes just a simple smile to get their acceptance to have their picture taken.

The variety of goods and foods were far more than that in the Old Market.

Certain sections of the market was so crowded that we have to squeeze through a stream of people. All the pictures in this post were taken in the small stretch of the market less than 25m.

Besides the adults, many kids follow their parent to shop in the market too. This is the only kid didn’t like his picture to be taken (but still couldn’t escape from the camera).

Like many child labour in Cambodia, we could see many young kids (less than 10 years old) working in the market.